What is the hardest part of roof maintenance?

What is the hardest part of roof maintenance?
 
The hardest part of maintaining a roof is getting up there and doing it. Not the "doing it" part, which is easy. It's the "getting up" there part that is the problem with most building owners. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Until there is a leak, and then suddenly, the roof is the only thing on the building owner's mind.

Depending on the roof and the owner, a lot can be done by a manganocene person on staff. Assuming we are talking about a commercial building in this article. For your home, that's a different story. If you are not a roofer, don't climb around your roof at home. It's very dangerous. If you have a roof that is safe to walk on, that is no leading edged and walls high enough to prevent anyone from falling, why not schedule roof maintenance yourself? Your maintenance person might need a little training to recognize problems, and most roof consultants will gladly help you.

What should your roof maintenance plan include?

• Clean your roof off, get all that sticks and trash, and other debris off the roof. Debris collecting and deteriorating on your roof will slowly damage and deteriorate your roofing membrane. Roof repairs can be costly, and if you let it go too long, a repair may no longer be an option.
• Check the drains, keep the drains clear and free of any obstruction. If you can’t get the water off your roof, you will have problems. One could argue that the drains are one of the most important components of your roof system.
• Look around, inspect the surface condition of the roof. Do you see cracks, blisters, splits in the roofing materials, anything that does not look right?  If you do, you may want to call in a roofing contractor to make some minor repairs. A small crack or split can become a HUGE leak someday if it is not taken care of right away.
• The most vulnerable parts look closely at the penetrations, transitions, AC units, anything that is sticking out of, attached to, or a change in the roof slope.  Those are your roofs' most vulnerable areas, most likely to start leaking if there is a problem.
• Be proactive and not reactive, and it is common for most building owners to wait for a leak then call the roofing professionals. The price is usually much more than expected, and sometimes it is so bad no repair can be done, replacement is the only option. Being proactive will SAVE YOU MONEY AND TIME!  
• Call a professional, if you have the maintenance staff who can do most of the roof maintenance work that is great. But make sure you call a professional to check out the roof no less than every two years and is a perfect work once a year.

 
It may not be rocket science, but it sure does make a lot of difference. Take good care of your roof, and it will take good care of you for a long time to come.

 Henry Staggs, NCCER Master Training and Adjunct Professor
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